Imagine it's Monday, 7 AM, and you're slowly creeping out of bed, trying not to make a sound. Otherwise, your little one would wake up.
As soon as you got out of bed, you tiptoed and headed immediately to the kitchen. There, you fill the kettle and prepare your favorite cup of tea or coffee to start your day right.
Suddenly, you heard the baby crying. Now, email notifications start buzzing, your boss is calling but then your stomach's rumbling.
What would you do, then?
Are you going to pick up the crying baby, reply to the emails, answer your boss's call, start cooking the breakfast or sip the hot coffee?
I'll do it all at once. I mean, all moms do it.
But that's not all! How about the mountain of soiled laundry and dishes, the messy toys your kids are doing, the loud sound of your hungry baby, or the exchanging shouts from a fighting sibling.
Can you picture out how my day would look like 24/7?
Many would think that I'm exaggerating, but this is the reality–how a work-from-home mom would look like, more or less.
If you're like me, you'll find yourself frustrated, perplexed, and annoyed.
Luckily, I was able to find out a solution (but it took me several months to discover this) on how I would manage work and mom duties, thus reducing the stress level.
𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞
List and sort out the tasks or things that are urgent and important, urgent but not essential, essential but not urgent, and not urgent & not important. Schedule, if possible, all the things that matter and set the alarm. This way, you will not feel overwhelmed.
𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐀 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤
You must take a break, even for just a minute or two. Personally, I'd take a nap when the kids are doing their siesta or binge on a book or a Netflix movie. Sometimes, I'll take a shower while the kids are sleeping.
𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐀 𝐌𝐞-𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞
You might think that this is similar to no.2 above–yes, but quite different. It is finding time to pamper yourself. It's spending a lot of time, maybe an hour or two or even a day, to relax, getting yourself back on track, like a machine that needs overhauling, so it could operate perfectly anew.
Dump all the tasks in one notepad or paper and then prioritize them accordingly. Take a break whenever you can, especially if the kids are eating– join them and, of course, stand and stretch your body. Lastly, getting a me-time (Personally, this is what I look forward to where I can get my eyebrows or hair done, drink my favorite coffee in a coffee shop), and spend time with yourself.
Try and do these consistently and I’ll bet, your stress level would lessen.
I am sending warm hugs to all working moms! You are great, and you deserve all the blessings you could ever think of!
Being a mom is a priceless job that nothing could ever equate with.
Share this article with someone whom you think might need it. I hope it serves its purpose.
About the Author:
Maria Gleenar “Gee” Evangelista is a Social Media Manager of a USA Today Bestselling Author, Jan Moran. She is happily married with two adorable kids. She’s been a working mom since 2016 and has been working from home with 2xYou since April 2020. She’s a Chemical Engineering graduate and a small business owner.